ooVoo releases its newest version of its video chat service for Mac users. ooVoo 2.1 for Mac now includes features from its PC version creating the most robust, multi-point cross platform video conferencing service available and continues to raise the standards for online video communication. Features in ooVoo Mac 2.1 include the popular Web Call link to video call friends who haven't downloaded ooVoo. Friends simply click on a link to join the call in their web browser. ooVoo Mac users can also now embed video chat rooms in their blogs or web sites and offer their site visitors video conversations anytime. Other additions to ooVoo 2.1 for Mac include a sidebar view mode to allow desktop viewing of documents while on a call.

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Ziggo selects an IP-Powered Business solution from Nortel to help them launch advanced business voice services for small and medium businesses. Ziggo has enjoyed considerable success in the consumer telecommunications market in The Netherlands and now Nortel will assist them to expand into the SMB market with a pre-tested, end-to-end solution. The Nortel IP-Powered Business solution is specifically designed to help provide SMBs with all the standard telephony features that a business needs over a secure, reliable, and cost-effective IP-based system. IP-Powered Business can also be used to provide SMBs with advanced VoIP services such as 'click-to-call,' 'find me/follow me' capabilities and audio conferencing.

Speakeasy launched a campaign designed to show customers just how much they can save by switching to VoIP. With a tagline, "Cut your phone bill - not your morning coffee," Speakeasy is offering a Starbucks gift card to business customers who fax in their phone bill to determine how much they can save by switching to voice over IP services.

SabSe Technologies has acquired jaxtr. Over the past several years, jaxtr has built a robust consumer service currently providing free and low-rate international calling to over ten million members around the globe.

Under the terms of the deal, SabSe will maintain and expand upon the jaxtr service, which will continue to operate under the jaxtr brand, alongside the company's existing SabSeBolo brand. SabSe's acquisition of jaxtr brings together two valuable consumer and business telecom applications now on a common platform. Jaxtr's large active user base will enable SabSe to accelerate deployment of its additional applications, and to leverage an instant audience for its innovative technology.

Global IP Solutions announces that KT Networks will be adding a powerful new VoIP feature to its Windows Mobile smartphone, which includes HD voice capabilities from GIPS. KT Networks' sleek, feature-rich smartphone was developed to address the growth in consumer demand, which continues to outpace the rest of the mobile phone market.

Research and Markets has announced the addition of Frost & Sullivan's new report "North American VoIP Access Service Markets" to their offering. This Frost & Sullivan research service titled North American VoIP Access Service Markets provides an analysis of the factors positively and negatively impacting the market, discusses market and technology trends, and provides a forecast and a vendor-positioning analysis. In this research, Frost & Sullivan's expert analysts thoroughly examine the following technologies: unified communications, VoIP trunking, SIP trunking, and line-side VoIP access services.

Sipera Systems reports that VoIP toll fraud continues to escalate, based on evidence uncovered in numerous VoIP and UC architectures. Across dozens of security architecture reviews and solution deployments, Sipera's security experts have discovered numerous cases of vulnerabilities commonly exploited for toll fraud, including confirmed fraud resulting in losses ranging from a few thousand dollars to hundreds of thousands of dollars.

VocalTec announces that its Essentra VoIP softswitch has received Class-4, Class-5 and Lawful Interception certification from the Ukrainian Scientific Research Institute of Radio and Television; this is part of VocalTec’s ongoing measures to position itself as a significant provider of VoIP solutions across the Ukraine.

Dell'Oro Group reports that IP lines for the PBX market are forecasted to decline for the first time ever in 2009. Notwithstanding, VoIP penetration will continue to grow this year, albeit at a slower pace compared to the previous years.

According to the report, Cisco, Avaya and Nortel had the most IP line shipments in the quarter. The report also revealed that despite VoIP transforming the industry for over a decade, the IP line shipments for the eight largest vendors in the market, namely Aastra, Alcatel-Lucent, Avaya, Cisco, Mitel, NEC, Nortel and Siemens averaged only 49 percent of total line shipments in the quarter.

Communications market research firm Infonetics Research launched a new North America Business VoIP Services Leadership Matrix that analyzes and ranks the top service providers in the VoIP business services market.

"In the aggressive North American business VoIP services market, Verizon Business stands out as the market leader in both IP Centrex and IP connectivity services. Still, in this highly competitive market, a number of providers, such as New Global Telecom and Cbeyond, are finding success in offering compelling solutions for businesses," said Diane Myers, Infonetics Research's Directing Analyst for Service Provider VoIP and IMS.

ARC announces its latest Sound-to-Silicon solution aimed at the new category of broadband-based multimedia device, the Media Phone, which is predicted to replace telephone handsets and be the “fourth screen in the home.” The Media Phone is being heralded as one of the hottest new devices for consumers, and combines DECT cordless speaker phone technology with direct access to Internet-based entertainment and applications via a color touch screen. ARC’s new solution provides SoC partners and OEMs with a cost effective platform for quickly entering and gaining share of the fast-growing Media Phone market. It includes ARC’s award-winning Sonic Focus audio enrichment software, full range of codecs, and development tools that are optimized for ARC’s latest AS 211 SFX Audio Subsystem intellectual property.

Research and Markets has announced the addition of John Wiley and Sons Ltd's new report "SIP Security" to their offering.

This book gives a detailed overview of SIP specific security issues and how to solve them While the standards and products for VoIP and SIP services have reached market maturity, security and regulatory aspects of such services are still being discussed. SIP itself specifies only a basic set of security mechanisms that cover a subset of possible security issues. In this book, the authors survey important aspects of securing SIP-based services. This encompasses a description of the problems themselves and the standards-based solutions for such problems. Where a standards-based solution has not been defined, the alternatives are discussed and the benefits and constraints of the different solutions are highlighted.

sipgate launches a new, free phone service that has the ability to replace most of the nation’s 100 million landlines. The new ervice, called sipgate one, operates over your Internet connection and offers a fully-featured phone service, complete with a free telephone number, no set-up costs and no monthly charges or minimums.

ooma announces that its ooma system is now available at RadioShack stores across the country. RadioShack, one of the nation's most experienced and trusted consumer electronics retailers, will offer ooma in more than 3,000 locations. This announcement highlights the company’s continued commitment to expand its national retailer network, offering ooma to an increasing number of consumers anxious to save money with innovative technology.